In August 2013 the Institute of Archaeologists of Ireland
(IAI), in association with Dublin City Council, the Heritage Council and the
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, hosted the first Archaeofest in Merrion Square as part of the Heritage Council’s annual Heritage Week. The
idea was to bring together archaeologists from many different walks of life for
a public showcase of the varied aspects of the profession in a fun engaging way!

A ‘specialist tent’ was included from the outset, a place where environmental archaeologists and osteoarchaeologists could demonstrate to people what they do, how they do it and what we can tell about past environments and past lives from this often lab-based side of archaeology. It was enthusiastically supported by many colleagues who gave freely of their time on that first occasion and have continued to support and participate in Archaeofest in 2014 and 2015.

People are genuinely fascinated by the scientific side of
archaeology, by what we can see ‘down the microscope’ – seeds, beetles, pollen,
tree-rings, cut marks or signs of disease on bones and teeth. The ‘specialist
tent’ has proved to be extremely popular each year with adults and kids alike,
curious about how we extract these tiny things, how we identify them, how much
they can tell us about what people ate in the past, how they lived, what
diseases they suffered from, how alike or unlike they were to us. Some have
expressed surprise at how much we can learn about the past from soil or from bogs,
emphasising how important it is for us to use every opportunity to
disseminate the fascinating results of our research.

Any of us who have participated have enjoyed the experience
immensely; our hoarse throats at the end of the day a testament to the
popularity of this part of Archaeofest! Long may this event continue and our
association with it.

We would particularly like to thank the IAI conference
organisers past and present, Ros Ó Maoldúin and Christina O’Regan, for their help
in making the ‘specialist tent’ such a successful part of Archaeofest.

About the Author

Dr Eileen Reilly is an environmental archaeologist specialising in the study of insect remains from archaeological sites. Most recently she was an Irish Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at UCD School of Archaeology looking at the topic of dirt and cleanliness in early medieval Europe. She served on the board of IAI as vice-chairperson/acting chairperson from 2013 to 2015.

About this blog

This blog was established by environmental archaeologists working in Ireland (there are many of us, working in third level institutions, in companies and operating as sole traders). We set up the blog because we think what we do is fascinating, and we want to share it with a wider audience!

Environmental archaeology is the study of human-environment interactions through the scientific investigation of ancient remains. The remains often derive from archaeological excavations. Environmental archaeologists analyse a broad variety of material, including remains of plants, wood, animals, insects and many other types of material. These analyses reveal what people ate in the past, how they organised their economies, and how people interacted with their local environments and wider landscapes.

You have an opportunity to ask us questions via the comments section. We hope you follow this blog and enjoy it.